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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming now, the service has welcomed several big-name day-one releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

This week's recommendations feature a cathartic action game, an prize-winning independent gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players ultraviolent mayhem against Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as always, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody excitement for any pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story exploring post-pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, as well as memories of her school and home life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, also available). However, with a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, every one representing a distinct story style. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader aiming to eradicate destitution through the force of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a hero with an unknown background, naturally). A few of these plots connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.